Hi, I’m I’m an english speaking patient from North America and I found this clinic through 2 east asian influencers’ tiktok videos. I did further research reading reviews on reddit and looked at the clinic’s before and after photos on IG.

It is now 2 weeks post-op and I am trying to be patient with how I feel about the results. Honestly, I still feel quite dysphoric and it feels strange looking at my face. I have large teeth and an over bite. I fear the lip lift really emphasize these characteristics of my face but I was assured by Dr. Chung Seungil that the lips would drop over the course of 1-3 months.

I still feel a lot of numbness at the base of my nose and top of my lip. The pain was surprisingly not bad at all and I was able to eat (awkwardly), walk around easily, and enjoy my trip.

I am happy with the clean incisions and stitches. This doctor is meticulous, and honest with patients during the consultation. I did not feel pushed or pressured. In fact, I was asked many times if I felt okay with moving forward and that I had the right to decide to not go ahead with the surgery. 

Consultation for foreigners include an initial meeting with a lady who shows before and after results, what to expect aesthetically, and asks what your concerns and requests may be. Next, you speak with the doctor.

At every step, there is an english translator who is also the one to respond to your concerns on Line chat.

I was concerned about my nose changing too much and Dr. Chung assured me he would do the most conservative approach. I really did not want to look like I got a face-changing nose job. Dr. Chung said that he would then focus more on the columnar reinforcement in between my nostrils and make as little change as possible to my tip and side profile. The reason why most if not all east asian patients are advised / must do some tip reinforcement is because of the weight of the pulled up lip hanging on the columnella, and the relatively softer and shorter tissue of this part of non-caucasian noses.

I still feel that the tip has projected a little bit more than I would like but it really is the Dr’s most conservative approach and I was told that the tip will drop over the 3 months of healing. 

I am not sure how I feel about my nostrils at this point because I knew my face best and to be honest, they are simply not the same. That said, the shape is aesthetically pleasing and I agreed to the change. My friend that I travelled with said that my nose looks great and that the nostrils looks normal to her.

On day 5 I had my stitches removed. On day 11, I got my nostril retainers and steroid shot to prevent scarring.

Mentally…

I have to admit that my spirits were so low around the 6-10 day mark and I was anxious to get my steroid shot to prevent scarring / keloids.

Again, there really are no visible scars and all incisions are hidden quite well inside the nose. I was just afraid of the pulling around the nostrils by my nasolabial folds. I am also experiencing a bit of puckering and tightness at the nose base because of the swelling of the skin above the top lip. I feel a lot better now after receiving the shot. The scar at the base of my nose is already healing great.

be prepared to look very beaver- or rodent-like.

The team is responsive and helpful to a panicking / concerned patient. It seems like they have seen it all and were able to assure patients about where they are at with the healing process. For those travelling, for your peace of mind, I recommend staying in the city throughout the 7-10 days of healing. 

I will update after 1 month.

Please be kind ❤️🙏

14 days post-op lip lift at Retmus